Cover Image for Singing in the Northland Volume 2
Vocal Range Indicator for Rainfall
RAINFALL - Medium/High Voice & Piano from SINGING IN THE NORTHLAND, VOL. 2

RAINFALL - Medium/High Voice & Piano from SINGING IN THE NORTHLAND, VOL. 2

Level 9

Digital Downloads are available from Graphite Publishing

Pages: 7

From out the west, where darkling storm-clouds float,
The ‘waking wind pipes soft its rising note.

From out the west, o’erhung with fringes grey,
The wind preludes with sighs its roundelay,

Then blowing, singing, piping, laughing loud,
It scurries on before the grey storm-cloud;

Across the hollow and along the hill
It whips and whirls among the maples, till

With bough upbent, and green of leaves blown wide,
The silver shines upon their underside.

A gusty freshening of humid air,
With showers laden, and with fragrance rare;

And now a little sprinkle, with a dash
Of great cool drops that fall with sudden splash;

Then over field and hollow, grass and grain,
The loud, crisp whiteness of the nearing rain.

- E. Pauline Johnson (1862-1913)

This award-winning song captures the excitement and build-up of a summer rainstorm with a vocal line that whips and whirls and a relentless “raindrop” piano accompaniment. The mixed meters make this piece more challenging, but they also give “Rainfall” its great little groove!

“Rainfall” won 3rd place in the 2005 Diana Barnhart American Song Competition.

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